So she made a bold move. She adopted an eight-week-old golden retriever puppy and named him (short for “Bestie”).

Comments flooded in: “I’ve never had a dog, but now I want one.” “Besti is the best co-host. More of him, less of the aesthetic.” “This isn’t just entertainment. This is real life.”

Within 24 hours, it became her most-watched video ever.

“Turns out,” she said, “the best thing for my channel wasn’t more filters. It was more fur.”

The thumbnail was a split screen: on the left, Kihm’s signature calm smile holding a latte; on the right, Besti mid-zoomies, dragging a roll of toilet paper like a victory flag.

Kihm’s First With Dog – Bestie Adventures

Kihm had built her lifestyle and entertainment channel on curated mornings, smoothie bowls, and “clean with me” videos. Everything was beige, white, and perfectly lit. But after two years of the same aesthetic, her engagement was dipping. Comments said: “Love your content, but where’s the chaos?”